Get lost in an oasis of blooming beauties

Travel a bit south and a little west from the Palm Beach spots where the beautiful people play and discover a two-story sanctuary where the beautiful flowers bloom.

The American Orchid Society (AOS) invites visitors, residents, media and orchid enthusiasts from all walks of life to enter its Botanical Garden at 16700 AOS Lane and enjoy another kind of Florida destination.

WHAT IS THE AOS BOTANICAL GARDEN?
A 5-acre, $8 million international headquarters for the American Orchid Society, featuring a 20,000-square-foot Mediterranean-style building, two 4,000-sq.-ft. greenhouses, and 3½-acre botanical garden showcasing a variety of orchids from around the world, as well as a diversity of flowering trees, palms and Florida native plants.

WHAT IS THERE FOR THE FLORIDA TRAVELER?
Everything a nature lover could want! AOS’ Botanical Garden —The garden offers more than 1,000 species of ornamental plants, in addition to a wide variety of orchids. The garden features:

Vaughn Focus Garden — Dedicated to the Vaughn family, who shared its home in West Palm Beach with the AOS for 16 years before the organization moved to Delray Beach. The Focus Garden features a reflecting pool and the first orchid collected by Lewis Vaughn, transplanted from his estate.

Florida Native Focus Garden — Reminiscent of old Florida, it features a boardwalk that spans a cypress swamp surrounded by native and endangered flora. This section of the garden also features a large gazebo, 30 feet in diameter, inspired by the Native American chickee hut that is used as an outdoor classroom and for special events.

Jungle Focus Garden — This section of the grounds includes a pond and cascading waterfall surrounded by tropical plants and exotic orchids.
AOS’ Greenhouse — The public display house has a formal staging area for ever-changing orchid displays. The private production greenhouse is visible through large display windows and houses the Society’s main orchid collections and is used for production and conservation.

Two Water Falls – The smaller of the two was donated by the Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society; the second is a 14-foot cascading waterfall that forms the backdrop for a small pond and wooden bridge.

The Cork Tree – This 13-foot display tree was “grown” in six months. It was constructed by fitting and securing PVC piping, concrete, wires and screws together. It was then topped off with more than 600 lbs. of cork to create its realistic façade. The tree is covered with flowering orchids, bromeliads, ferns, and vines demonstrating how these plants grow in their native habitat.

AOS’ Calendar – Upcoming Events at the Visitors Center and Botanical Gardens include:

Wine and Jazz in the Gardens.
January 31, February 21, March 20, April 17
Enjoy wine and jazz under a canopy of blooming orchids from 4 pm to 7 pm each month January through April. There will be small fee for entrance.

Group Tours and “Lunch and Learn” Tours
Get a group together to take a tour of the garden and orchid greenhouse led by one of our garden experts. Tours must be scheduled in advance. Pricing varies. Lunch and learn sessions include tour of the garden, a gourmet box lunch and a mini orchid class for beginners, Orchids 101.

AOS’ Future — The AOS is seeking donations to fund an American Heritage Collection of orchids. This permanent collection of historical plants provided the breeding stock for modern-day American-grown and -produced orchids. This collection will be available to students of orchid hybridization for study and research both in person at the AOS headquarters, as well as online.

AOS’ Location — The AOS Visitors Center and Botanical Garden is strategically and synergistically situated adjacent to The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, and the combined attraction of the two cultural and horticultural facilities has created a compelling destination for garden lovers and travelers who seek nature-focused destinations. The AOS Visitors Center and Botanical Garden has also become a popular site for corporate meetings and special events, such as weddings and private parties.

The AOS facility and gardens are open to the public Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4:30 pm. Admissions are $8 for adults, and free for children under 12 and AOS members. AOS Visitors Center and Botanical Garden, 16700 AOS Lane, Delray Beach, FL 33446.

Find out more at Aos.org.